Piece of seating furniture and fitting therefor

ABSTRACT

The prior art discloses a piece of seating furniture ( 10 ), in particular of the armchair or sofa type, having a seat surface ( 14′ ) and a legrest ( 18 ) which is displaceable between a stowed position in which the legrest ( 18 ) is arranged beneath the seat surface ( 14′ ) in the vertical direction ( 6 ) of the furniture, and a use position in which the legrest ( 18 ) is arranged in front of the seat surface ( 14 ′) in the longitudinal direction ( 4 ) of the furniture. 
     Provision is made there for the legrest ( 18 ) to be configured with a variable length by two mutually displaceable fitting portions ( 30, 40 ) of the legrest ( 18 ), and for a force to be able to be applied to the two fitting portions ( 30, 40 ) of the legrest by a spring portion ( 53   a;    54   a;    55   a;    56   a;    57   a;    58   a ) of a spring device ( 50 ), said spring portion ( b 53   a;    54   a;    55   a;    56   a;    57   a;    58   a ) acting between a first force application point ( 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38 ) at a first of the two fitting portions (30) and a second force application point ( 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48 ) at a second of the two fitting portions ( 40 ). 
     In order to improve such a piece of seating furniture, it is proposed that the two force application points ( 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48 ) are offset with respect to one another in a transverse direction of the furniture ( 2 ), such that the spring portion ( 53   a;    54   a;    55   a;    56   a;    57   a;    58   a ) takes up a diagonal direction of extent, and/or that the spring portion ( 53   a;    55   a;    56   a;    57   a;    58   a ) is configured as an elastomer spring portion. 
     Use for achieving a cost-effective, reliable and easily assemblable variable-length legrest and in particular a comparatively wide legrest.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of German Application No. 10 2014207 972.1, filed on Apr. 28, 2014, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.

FIELD OF USE AND PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a piece of seating furniture, in particular ofthe armchair or sofa type, having a seat surface and a legrest which isdisplaceable between a stowed position in which the legrest is arrangedbeneath the seat surface in the vertical direction of the furniture, anda use position in which the legrest is arranged in front of the seatsurface in the longitudinal direction of the furniture. In this case,the legrest is configured with a variable length by two mutuallydisplaceable fitting portions of the legrest. A force is able to beapplied to these two fitting portions of the legrest by a spring portionof a spring device, said spring portion acting between a first forceapplication point at a first of the two fitting portions and a secondforce application point at a second of the two fitting portions. Thisspring portion is stretched depending on the relative positions of thefitting portions with respect to one another and exerts a force on thefitting portions.

The invention furthermore relates to a fitting for such a generic pieceof seating furniture.

Generic pieces of seating furniture are distinguished by their leg unitthat forms a legrest. The legrest, when it is not used, is moved intosaid stowed position, in which it is arranged in a manner concealedbeneath the seat surface. If the legrest is required, in order that amore comfortable sitting position with raised legs can be taken up, thelegrest is to this end moved into the use position, in particular by wayof a pivoting movement, in which it is located in front of the seatsurface and as it were lengthens the latter.

In the case of pieces of seating furniture having such avariable-position legrest, one problem is that the stowage space beneaththe seat surface is limited and the pivoting range through which the legunit is displaced, starting from the use position, on being transferredin the direction of the stowed position, is likewise limited. A legrestwhich has a sufficient size in the use position to allow comfortablesitting with raised legs is difficult to accommodate under the seatsurface on account of its length and risks colliding with the floor orthe base of the piece of seating furniture during the pivoting movement.

In generic pieces of seating furniture, this problem is solved in thatthe legrest is configured with a variable length. Length-variability isunderstood to mean the variability of the legrest with respect to theuse position in the longitudinal direction of the furniture, that is tosay in the direction of extent of the legs resting on the legrest.

The length-variability of the legrest is realized in that the lattercomprises at least two fitting portions which are movable with respectto one another in a relative displacement direction moved by the legrestand as a result can have different spacings from one another in thestowed position and the use position of the legrest. Usually, a linearguide is provided between these two fitting portions of the legrest.

In order to couple the desired variation in length to the position ofthe legrest, in particular to the pivoted position of the legrest,various designs are known. The starting point of the invention is inthis case a design in which provision is made of a spring means whichcomprises a spring portion that acts indirectly or directly between thetwo fitting portions. Said spring portion results in permanent forceactivation of the two fitting portions with respect to one another, suchthat these permanently tend to move toward or away from one another andas a result to increase or decrease the size of the legrest. Thistendency brought about by the spring means is limited by a controlmember which is directed counter to the application of force by thespring and is provided at a different fitting portion of the piece ofseating furniture and the relative position of which with respect to thelegrest varies during the movement of the legrest such that it bringsabout a decrease or increase in size of the legrest counter to the forceof the spring means during pivoting in a first pivoting direction, whilein the opposite direction of movement it continuously enables themovement of the fitting portions of the legrest such that the springmeans, depending on its mounting, can bring about the increase ordecrease in size of the legrest.

The solutions known at least from the internal prior art include theprovision of a metal helical spring, which extends in the longitudinaldirection of the furniture, between the fitting portions of the legrest.However, this has been found to be problematic, since the mutualdisplaceability, desired to be quite large in practice, of the fittingportions by for example 20 cm cannot be provided by conventionalspace-saving springs. A helical spring, which is relaxed in the stowedstate of the legrest and is shortened for example to a length of 5 cm,would have to be stretched by 20 cm in order to reach the use state.However, in common helical springs, this results in overstretching andthus in permanent damage to the helical spring. An alternative to suchextensive stretching as described is the use of a lever system whichacts between the fitting portions and which allows the use of a shorterspring and less extensive stretching of this spring. However, such aspring system results in comparatively high costs and a number ofmechanical difficulties.

PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

The problem addressed by the invention is therefore that of developing ageneric piece of seating furniture such that the latter at leastpartially overcomes the described problems of the prior art in astructurally simple manner.

According to the invention, this is achieved by two measures, which arepreferably realized together, but which can in principle also berealized individually and may also be individually suitable for solvingthe problem addressed.

According to a first measure proposed according to the invention,provision is made for the two force application points at the twofitting portions of the legrest to be arranged in a manner offset withrespect to one another in a transverse direction of the furniture, suchthat the spring portion takes up a diagonal direction of extent more orless in a plane defined by the transverse direction of the furniture andthe relative displacement direction. According to this aspect of theinvention, the spring portion thus acts between two points, of thefastening-point or deflection-point type, at the two fitting portions,which are arranged in an offset manner in the transverse direction ofthe furniture. Thus, the force application point at the first fittingportion of the legrest could for example be arranged on the left-handside of the piece of furniture or of the legrest, while the second forceapplication point at the second fitting portion is arranged on theright-hand side of the piece of furniture or of the legrest.

The diagonal extent of the spring portion results in a reduction in therequired stretching. Since the force application points are moved withrespect to one another only in the relative displacement direction ofthe fitting portions, but not in the transverse direction, orthogonalthereto, of the furniture during the shortening or lengthening of thelegrest, a spring which exhibits much less extensive stretching can beused, without the external dimensions of the legrest having to bechanged as a result. Thus, metal helical springs can be used in such adiagonal orientation, said helical springs as a result having to bestretched by no more than 20% to 30% compared with their relaxed statewith the legrest retracted, in order for example to allow lengthening orshortening of the legrest by 20 to 30 cm.

The diagonal orientation is provided preferably both in the use positionof the legrest and in the stowed position of the legrest. However, it isalso conceivable in principle for the force application points to be atthe same height with respect to the relative displacement direction inone of these positions, such that the spring portion could also beoriented virtually in the transverse direction of the furniture in suchan extreme position.

According to the mentioned second measure of the invention, which ispreferably realized together with the first measure of the diagonalspring-portion arrangement, it is proposed to configure the springportion as an elastomer spring portion. Accordingly, in contrast tohitherto conventional spring means, it is proposed that a spring meansmade of an elastomer material be used. It has been found that this iscapable of comparatively extensive stretching and is therefore highlysuitable for the mentioned purpose. Within the meaning of the invention,an elastomer material is understood to be an elastically stretchable,plastics-based and/or natural-rubber-based material. A combination inwhich a number of natural-rubber strands are arranged within a plasticscover is particularly advantageous. As a result, high external chemicaland mechanical stability at the same time as a particularly goodstretching behaviour is achievable. Said cover can consist for exampleof polyester. The internal strands are preferably braided together orinterlaced in some other way in order to increase the stability.Preferably, the stretching behaviour of the spring portion made ofelastomer material is such that an elongation of 100% at an appliedforce of between 20 newtons and 50 newtons is achieved.

It is particularly advantageous for the elastomer spring portion to beconfigured in the manner of a strand of constant cross section, whichmay be formed for example in a round, square or rectangular manner. Thisallows a simple type of deflection, the advantages of which areexplained further below.

As already mentioned, it is considered to be particularly advantageousfor the two above-described measures to be realized together, that is tosay a spring portion which consists of an elastomer material is used ina diagonal direction of extent.

Even if a single spring portion, one end of which is fastened to thefirst fitting portion and the other end of which is fastened to thesecond fitting portion, can in principle make available the desiredspring-force activation of the fitting portions of the legrest withrespect to one another, it is considered to be advantageous for at leasttwo force application points to be provided at least at one of the twofitting portions and for the spring device to have at least two springportions which extend, in particular diagonally, between the two fittingportions.

The distribution of the spring force to be applied over more than onespring portion makes it possible to use spring portions having a lowerspring coefficient, with the result that relaxation of the springportions can be reduced again.

If use is made of such two or more spring portions extending preferablyin each case diagonally, it is particularly advantageous for these to beconnected integrally together and in particular to be preferablydeflected by a common one of the force application points. Thus, forexample two force application points at one of the two fitting portionscan each act as fastening points for the two ends of said double springportion, while these are placed around the force application point atthe other fitting portion between these two ends. Here, use can be madefor example of a rotatable roller or a simple peg. Of course, it is alsopossible to use more than two spring portions. Depending on theconfiguration of the piece of sitting furniture, the required springforces and in particular also the width of the legrest, it may beadvantageous to arrange at least three preferably diagonally extendingspring portions, which in particular are preferably connected integrallytogether, in a zigzag arrangement between force application points atthe two fitting portions.

As already mentioned, the spring portions, if a number of springportions are provided between force application points at the twofitting portions, are preferably part of an integral spring means, inparticular a common elastomer band. As a result, the costs for theindividual parts of the piece of sitting furniture and in particularalso the outlay for assembly are reduced.

When such an elastomer band is used, provision is preferably made, asalready mentioned, for this to be deflected by rollers .or pegs. Suchdeflection is in particular advantageous when the elastomer band isarranged regionally between force application points at the same fittingportion. Such a portion, which can be oriented in particular preferablyin the transverse direction of the furniture, provides furtherlengthening of the spring means and therefore, as long as an appropriatedeflection is provided, allows even further reduced stretching while thelegrest is being transferred between the stowed state and the use state.It may be particularly advantageous, in particular in this connection,for the elastomer band to be configured as a closed elastomer band andthus to be configured as it were in an annular manner. As a result, itis possible to dispense completely with the complicated fastening ofends of the elastomer band to one of the two fitting portions. Instead,the force application points at the fitting portions are designed insuch a case as deflection points about which the elastomer band isplaced. Preferably, here too, subregions of this elastomer band areprovided between force application points at the same fitting portion,which extend in particular in the transverse direction of the furniture.In addition to the abovementioned advantages when use is made of morethan one spring portion, a particular advantage also results in the caseof legrests having an uncommon width. While most legrests do not exceeda width of 60 cm, in less common pieces of seating furniture it may alsobe expedient to provide wider legrests, for example having a width of atleast 80 cm. Thus, for example a common legrest for a number of personssitting on a sofa is conceivable. The hitherto customary systems havingonly one spring means which is usually arranged on one of the two sidesare not very appropriate precisely in the case of such legrests, sinceproblems arise with regard to tilting of the fitting portions withrespect to one another. The design with at least two spring portionsallows equal force activation of the fitting portions in an eccentricmanner on both sides, in particular at their ends located opposite oneanother in the transverse direction of the furniture, with the resultthat harmonious and tilt-free lengthening and shortening of the legrestcan be realized.

In principle, the two directions of action of the spring devices, inwhich the spring device acts either in the direction of an increase insize or in the direction of a decrease in size of the legrest, areconceivable. The respectively opposite size change effect is broughtabout by the control member already mentioned at the beginning. A designin which the spring device acts on the fitting portions of the legrestin the direction of an increase in size of the legrest is particularlypreferred. This means that the spring device is in a tensioned statewhen the legrest is in the stowed position and thus is reduced in size.Proceeding herefrom, the state of tension in the spring device decreasesduring the increase in size of the legrest while it is being transferredinto its use position.

The abovementioned control member, which counteracts the spring forceeffected by the spring device and thus tensions the spring device whilethe legrest is being transferred into the stowed position or the useposition, in particular into the stowed position, is preferablyconfigured as a cable pull which acts on one of the fitting portionssuch that the latter is displaced with respect to the other fittingportion counter to the spring force of the spring device by a tractiveforce on this cable pull. A cable pull is understood to be any desiredvariable-shape control member which is configured merely to transfertensile forces. Instead of a cable pull, it is also possible to use arigid element, however. The displacement of the control member can takeplace by way of the direct or indirect connection thereof to otherfitting portions of the piece of furniture, which are likewisedisplaceable relative to one another or with respect to the base. Thus,in the case of a piece of furniture according to the invention,provision is preferably made for the seat unit likewise to bedisplaceable with respect to the base.

The invention furthermore relates to a fitting for a piece of seatingfurniture, which is configured as a fitting of the above-described pieceof seating furniture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects and advantages of the invention can be gathered from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments of the invention whichare explained with reference to the figures, in which:

FIGS. 1 a to 2 b show a piece of seating furniture according to theinvention with its legrest arranged in a stowed position and a useposition, respectively,

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show a plan view of the legrest of the exemplaryembodiment according to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b,

FIGS. 4 to 7 show different variants of the legrest, and

FIG. 8 shows a legrest having a particular width.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 a to 2 b show a piece of seating furniture according to theinvention, in particular the fitting components thereof, with cushionportions omitted. In this case, FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show the piece ofseating furniture with the legrest arranged in a stowed position, whileFIGS. 2 a and 2 b show the piece of seating furniture with the legresttransferred into the use position.

First of all, the essential sub-components are intended to be explainedwith reference to FIG. 1 a. For better understanding, the cushioning ofthe piece of seating furniture is illustrated by way of dashed lines inFIG. 1 a. However, since this cushioning is of no importance for thefunctioning, explained here, of the piece of seating furniture, it hasbeen omitted in the further illustrations.

The piece of seating furniture 10 is configured in the manner of anarmchair. It has a base 12, which is intended to be arranged on anunderlying surface in a stationary manner or, equipped with rollers, ina displaceable manner. Provided above this base 12 is a seat unit 14having a seat surface 14′. A backrest unit 16 adjoins the rear thereof.In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 a, a leg unit 18 is locatedbeneath the seat unit 14 and is thus in its stowed position. This legunit 18, which also sometimes serves as a legrest, is cushioned suchthat its cushioned surface 18′, which is directed downward in theillustrated stowed position, forms a legrest surface 18′ once it hasbeen transferred into the use position.

In the region of the front termination edge of the seat unit 14, the legunit 18 is pivotable about a pivot axis 8 oriented in the transversedirection of the furniture.

The arrows 2, 4 and 6 indicate the notions, used in the context of thisinvention, of the transverse direction 2 of the furniture, thelongitudinal direction 4 of the furniture and the vertical direction 6of the furniture.

As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 a and 2 a, the leg unit 18can be pivoted about said pivot axis 8 such that it takes up anapproximately horizontal use position. The legrest surface 18′ is thenoriented in a manner approximately flush with the seat surface 12′ andallows comfortable sitting with raised legs.

As can likewise be seen from FIGS. 1 a and 2 a, the leg unit 18 changeslength while it is being transferred from the stowed position in FIG. 1a to the use position in FIG. 2 a. This change in length is necessary inorder on the one hand to make available a sufficiently large surfacearea for the legs to rest on in the state in FIG. 2 a, but on the otherhand to be able to stow the leg unit 18 in the state in FIG. 1 a, and inparticular to allow the pivoting movement on transferring from the useposition in FIG. 2 a into the stowed position in FIG. 1 a. In theextended state of the leg unit 18, which is illustrated in FIG. 2 a, apivoting movement of the leg unit 18 in the direction of the stowedposition would not be possible, since the leg unit would then collidewith the floor or the base 12.

As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 1 b and 2 b, which show thepiece of seating furniture from a perspective from below, the leg unit18 comprises two fitting portions 30, 40 that are movable with respectto one another. In this case, the fitting portion 30 is the one which isdirectly pivotable about said pivot axis 8. Although the distal fittingportion 40 pivots together with this fitting portion 30, it is movablein a linear manner with respect to the latter. To this end, linearguides 28, which are not illustrated in more detail, are provided on thefitting portions 30, 40. The abovementioned length-variability of thelegrest 18 is realized by way of this displaceability of the fittingportions 30, 40.

In order to control this variation in length, provision is made of aflexible band 26 which is on the one hand fitted to the outer of the twofitting portions 40 and on the other hand is coupled to the seat unit 14such that, during the movement thereof from the position in FUG. 1 ainto the position in FIG. 2 a in which it is lowered with respectthereto, it behaves in a length-enabling manner and thus allows thefitting portion 40 to be extended. This band 26 is omitted in FIGS. 1 a,1 b and 2 b and merely indicated in a dotted manner in FIG. 2 b.

The band 26 acts as a control member for controlling the variation inlength of the leg unit 18. The tensile force which is able to be broughtabout by this band 26 and which works towards shortening the leg unit 18is counteracted by the force of a spring device 50. This spring device50 acts between the two fitting portions 30, 40, wherein it is connectedto the two fitting portions 30, 40 such that the spring force acts inthe direction of the extended state of the leg unit, that is to say thestate which the leg unit takes up in the use position.

In order to explain the spring device 50 in more detail, reference ismade to FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, wherein FIG. 3 a corresponds to the stowedposition of the leg unit and wherein FIG. 3 b corresponds to the useposition of the leg unit. With reference to FIG. 3 a, the two fittingportions 40, 30 can be seen. The fitting portion 40 has acircumferentially closed frame-like structure which comprises, interalia, two cross members 42, 42. The fitting portion 30 has a U-shapedbasic shape and likewise has a cross member 32. Provided on one of thecross members 42 of the fitting portion 40 is a deflection roller 43.Provided on the cross member 32 of the fitting portion 30 are tworespectively external deflection rollers 33. The three deflectionrollers 33, 43 are jointly surrounded by an elastomer strand 53 which,in a similar manner to a large O-ring, preferably has a round crosssection. The arrangement of this elastomer strand, which wraps aroundthe deflection rollers 33, 43, results in an approximately triangularshape in the stowed state in FIG. 3 a. In this stowed state, theelastomer strand 53 is under tensile stress, this being the case bothfor the two portions 53 a extending between the deflection rollers 33and 43 that serve as force application points, and for a portion 53 bextending in the transverse direction 2 of the furniture, said portion53 b extending between the two deflection rollers 33 on the fittingportion 30.

When the leg unit is arranged in its stowed position, the control band26 compels this tensioned state of the spring device 50, as isillustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b. The leg unit 18 is thus held in itscompact state.

If, in the context of the overall transfer of the piece of seatingfurniture into the comfort position, the seat unit 14 is now displacedtowards the rear with respect to the base 12 and the leg unit 18 ispivoted out in the direction of its use position, the control band 26 isalso continuously released, such that it allows an increase in size,brought about by the spring device 50, of the leg unit 18. In this case,the elastomer strand 53 contracts until it reaches its most relaxedstate with the leg unit extended in a manner corresponding to the stateillustrated in FIG. 3 b, when the fitting portion 40 has been displacedto a maximum extent with respect to the fitting portion 30.

On account of the fact that the portions 53 a extend diagonally, and onaccount of the fact that the portion 53 b forms as it were acompensation portion as a result of the deflection rollers 33, thestretching of the elastomer strand 53 in the state in FIG. 3 a isincreased only by about 10% compared with the state in FIG. 3 b. Suchstretching can be allowed in a durable manner without disadvantageousrelaxation effects by an elastomer strand.

FIGS. 4 to 7 show a number of alternative designs.

In the design according to FIG. 4, use is made of a conventional metalhelical spring 54 which is fastened at the end to merely indicated forceapplication points 34, 44 at the fitting portions 30, 40. Deflectioncorresponding to the deflection rollers 33, 43 in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b isnot provided here. Although the use of an elastomer strand of the typedescribed is considered to be advantageous, the diagonal orientation ofa helical spring, too, can be of considerable advantage. It is also thecase for the helical spring illustrated in FIG. 4 that, on account ofthe diagonal arrangement, the stretched state, illustrated in FIG. 4, ofsaid helical spring means merely stretching of about 15-20% comparedwith the stretched state with the leg unit 18 increased in size.

In a variant of FIG. 4 that is not illustrated, the metal helical springillustrated therein is replaced by an elastomer strand connected at itsends to both fitting portions 30, 40.

In the design according to FIG. 5, use is likewise made of an elastomerstrand 55 which, however, unlike the elastomer strand 53 in FIGS. 3 aand 3 b, is fastened to the fastening portion 30 in the region of forceapplication points 35. Provision is made of a deflection roller 45merely at the fitting portion 40, in a manner similar to theillustration in FIG. 3 a. However, said deflection roller 45 serves inthe present case only for easier assembly. Instead of a unitary strand55 which is deflected by the deflection roller 45, in a variant of FIG.5, use could also be made of two separate elastomer strands, which areeach connected to the fitting portion 40 at the point where thedeflection roller 45 is provided.

FIG. 6 shows an arrangement in which, instead of the two portions,extending between the fitting portions 30, 40, of the spring device 50,provision is made of three such spring portions 56 a, wherein the latterare each firmly connected at their ends on one side to the fittingportion 30 and on the other side to the fitting portion 40. The increasein the number of portions, extending between the fitting portions, ofthe spring device makes it possible to provide the latter with a lowerspring coefficient, wherein said portions are jointly capable ofreplacing, with the same effect, an elastomer strand with a higherspring coefficient.

FIG. 7 shows a development of the design according to FIG. 3 a, inwhich, rather than one deflection roller 43, provision is made of twodeflection rollers 47 on the fitting portion 40 side. Rather than twodeflection rollers 33, provision is made of three deflection rollers 37on the fitting portion 30 side. In a similar manner to FIG. 6, theportions 57 of the spring device 50 are thus again provided in a kind ofzigzag structure.

FIG. 8 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention. The stowedstate of the leg unit 18 provided here is illustrated. The particularfeature in the design according to FIG. 8 is the width of the leg unit18. With respect to the transverse direction 2 of the furniture, saidleg unit 18 has a width of about 80 cm. The spring device, which acts inthe direction of the size variation of the leg unit 18, is againconfigured as an elastomer strand 58 which in this case more or lessforms a quadrilateral which is defined by in each case two deflectionrollers 48 at the fitting portion 40 and two deflection rollers 38 atthe fitting portion 30. The spring portions 58 a, which extend betweenthe two fitting portions 30, 40, are again oriented diagonally, althoughthis is not absolutely necessary. Instead, they could extend exactly inthe relative displacement direction of the two fitting portions 30, 40with respect to one another. Said portions 58 a are particularlyadvantageously positioned far to the outside such that they are arrangedin each case in the vicinity of the corresponding linear guides 28 whichallow the relative movability of the fitting portions 30, 40. As aresult, a relative movement that does not tend to produce tilting ispossible. Reliable operation and in particular a reliable change betweenthe stowed position and the use position of the leg unit 18 are thuspossible in spite of the uncommon width thereof. The large spacingsbetween the deflection rollers 38, 48 provided at the fitting portion 30and at the fitting portion 40, respectively, result in turn in largecompensation portions 58 b, which make it possible, in the event ofcomparatively small stretching of the elastomer strand, to transfer thelatter between the use position (not illustrated) and the stowedposition in FIG. 8.

1. Piece of seating furniture (10), in particular of the armchair orsofa type, having a seat surface (14′) and a legrest (18) which isdisplaceable between a stowed position in which the legrest (18) isarranged beneath the seat surface (14′) in the vertical direction (6) ofthe furniture, and a use position in which the legrest (18) is arrangedin front of the seat surface (14′) in the longitudinal direction (4) ofthe furniture, wherein the legrest (18) is configured with a variablelength by two mutually displaceable fitting portions (30, 40) of thelegrest (18), and a force is able to be applied to the two fittingportions (30, 40) of the legrest by a spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a;56 a; 57 a; 58 a) of a spring device (50), said spring portion (53 a; 54a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58 a) acting between a first force applicationpoint (33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38) at a first of the two fitting portions(30) and a second force application point (43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48) at asecond of the two fitting portions (40), characterized in that the twoforce application points (33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47;48) are offset with respect to one another in a transverse direction (2)of the furniture, such that the spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a; 56 a;57 a; 58 a) takes up a diagonal direction of extent.
 2. Piece of seatingfurniture (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the springportion (53 a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58 a) is configured as an elastomerspring portion.
 3. Piece of seating furniture (10) according to claim 1or 2, characterized in that at least two force application points (33;35; 36, 46; 37, 47; 38, 48) are provided at the first and/or at thesecond fitting portion (30, 40), and the spring device (50) has at leasttwo spring portions (53 a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58 a) which each extend,preferably diagonally, between two force application points, which arepreferably offset in the transverse direction of the furniture, at thefirst and at the second fitting portion (30, 40).
 4. Piece of seatingfurniture (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterizedin that at least two diagonally extending spring portions (53 a; 55 a;57 a; 58 a) are connected integrally together and are preferablydeflected by a common force application point (43; 45; 37, 47).
 5. Pieceof seating furniture (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that atleast three diagonally extending spring portions (56 a, 57 a) areconnected directly together and are arranged in a zigzag arrangementbetween force application points (36, 46; 37, 47) at the two fittingportions (30, 40).
 6. Piece of seating furniture (10) according to oneof the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring device (50)comprises an elastomer band which forms a plurality of spring portions(53 a, 55 a, 56 a, 57 a, 58 a) between force application points at thetwo fitting portions (30, 40).
 7. Piece of seating furniture (10)according to claim 6, characterized in that the elastomer band isconfigured as a closed elastomer band (53; 57; 58), wherein preferably aportion (53 b; 57 b; 58 b, 58 c) of the elastomer band (53; 57; 58)extends between two force application points at the same fitting portion(30, 40).
 8. Piece of seating furniture (10) according to one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the legrest (18) has a width ofat least 80 cm and provision is made of at least two spring portions (58a) which extend between force application points (38, 48) at the twofitting portions (30, 40).
 9. Piece of seating furniture (10) accordingto one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring device(50) acts on the two fitting portions (30, 40) of the legrest in thedirection of an extension of the legrest.
 10. Piece of seating furniture(10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatprovision is made of a cable pull (26) which acts on one of the fittingportions (40) such that this fitting portion (40) is displaced withrespect to the other fitting portion (30) counter to the spring force ofthe spring device (50) by a tractive force on the cable pull (26). 11.Fitting for a piece of seating furniture (10), in particular of thearmchair or sofa type, having a seat surface portion (14) and twofitting portions (30, 40), which are part of a legrest (18) and whichare displaceable jointly between a stowed position in which the fittingportions (30, 40) are arranged beneath the seat surface portion (14) inthe vertical direction (6) of the furniture, and a use position in whichthe fitting portions (30, 40) are arranged in front of the seat surfaceportion (14) in the longitudinal direction (4) of the furniture, whereinthe legrest (18) is configured with a variable length by the twomutually displaceable fitting portions (30, 40) of the legrest (18), anda force is able to be applied to the two fitting portions (30, 40) ofthe legrest (18) by a spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58a) of a spring device (50), said spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a; 56 a;57 a; 58 a) acting between a first force application point (33; 34; 35;36; 37; 38) at a first of the two fitting portions (30) and a secondforce application point (43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48) at a second of the twofitting portions (40), characterized in that the two force applicationpoints (33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48) are offset withrespect to one another in a transverse direction (2) of the furniture,such that the spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58 a) takesup a diagonal direction of extent, or the spring portion (53 a; 55 a; 56a; 57 a; 58 a) is configured as an elastomer spring portion.
 12. Pieceof seating furniture (10), in particular of the armchair or sofa type,having a seat surface (14′) and a legrest (18) which is displaceablebetween a stowed position in which the legrest (18) is arranged beneaththe seat surface (14′) in the vertical direction (6) of the furniture,and a use position in which the legrest (18) is arranged in front of theseat surface (14′) in the longitudinal direction (4) of the furniture,wherein the legrest (18) is configured with a variable length by twomutually displaceable fitting portions (30, 40) of the legrest (18), anda force is able to be applied to the two fitting portions (30, 40) ofthe legrest by a spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58 a) ofa spring device (50), said spring portion (53 a; 54 a; 55 a; 56 a; 57 a;58 a) acting between a first force application point (33; 34; 35; 36;37; 38) at a first of the two fitting portions (30) and a second forceapplication point (43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48) at a second of the twofitting portions (40), characterized in that the spring portion (53 a;55 a; 56 a; 57 a; 58 a) is configured as an elastomer spring portion.